maybe tomorrow in the ivy garden Smoke slowly fills the room. I stand and walk out onto the balcony and look out over my city. It is night but the blazing fires light everything as day. This was once a beautiful place, a city of great architects, great philosophers... And now it burns. Those who can flee do so, and i marvel at how quickly all of the ships leave the harbor How quickly there is no one left at all. Smoke billows out from my bed chamber and with it come the memories... I came here as a young man seeking my fortune, And never dreamed that i would build the this small town into the center of an empire. This place was so fresh, so beautiful that i could almost not bear it... Surely it was not right for a mortal like myself to set foot in such a wondrous place... And yet there i stood, and there i made my home. I found a great library in the town, and later, i met a beautiful girl that i dreamed to be my wife. From the day i saw her she would not leave my mind-she became my purpose in life. Many of my best friends i found here... Gaius, who could always make me laugh- Davlyn, who could always lend an ear when i was troubled and needed to talk... Derrick, Kathryn, and all the rest.... And then there was the girl. In four years time Gaius and i founded a college. We both taught and enjoyed watching our students develop and mature, And it was not long before young men were coming in from all over the world to study here As my power and influence among the people grew, so the town And four years after the completion of the college it had grown into a large city- A city that boasted the most educated scholars, the best library, the best university... I would have traded it all for her. Once i was invited to dine with Gaius and several other guests, And i was pleased to find that she was invited too. The meal, I'm told, was excellent and perhaps the most lavish feast of that year... But with her there, my mind was hardly on food. Dinner having ended, the guest all proceeded to the modest garden in the house. Through the open ceiling, the back night shone her stars and at me, And as i stared i shivered - it was beautiful. I glanced to see if anyone had noticed, however, sitting at a table by myself it was not likely. Then i saw her, her eyes shining like the stars of heaven i had just minutes ago witnessed. Suddenly i was nervous-how could i even dream of such a girl...of what worth was i? I was surprised when she came and sat with me, and in the following hours we talked... Broad was her knowledge and she captivated me....she was beautiful both inside and out! I began to admire her...to love her. She was everything i had ever dreamed of - such a mind in such a body! Never had a sunset, a breath taking sky, or any other thing, object, or place captivated me, As she did. This once small town became a booming metropolis. Every evening hundreds of different melodies could be heard in any given street, But most importantly, the people where happy as well as educated, And the general high-class society resulted in producing few harlotries. The girl still visited me in my dreams, was still on my mind every day. But my place was with my books....and books proved to be poor teachers in this art I passed chance after chance bye..found it hard to show her what i felt. And through my own folly, i ruined one of my most wished for dreams. Smoke - i see small flames dancing now in the hallway..soon... The fires of my city are dimming as their fuel runs out and with a wave of anguish, I look to where the library once stood - and see ashes. My back hurts and i have to sit down, gnarled old knees cracking as they're bent. I never married-left no heir and in the end, let my empire fall to ruin. Some years after i first spoke with her, the girl went away. For a while, there were occasional letters, but those too, soon stopped coming. I still loved her and hoped that i would hear from her, maybe tomorrow...maybe tomorrow The years went by and my body grew weak and frail...Gaius died and Davlyn soon after. Few of my friends were left and most too old to make the visit. The fire rages in my room now, yet i feel that i am cold. Far off, somone is playing a mournful song, and i think of her before the fire overtakes me "Maybe tomorrow in the ivy garden..."